Means for automatically recording calls in telephone systems



W. 'J. BLAIR;

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY RECORDING CALLS IN TELEPHONE SYSTEMS- APPLICATIQN FILED A ER- 28. 1911.

1,382,817. Patented June 28,1921, a I ssHEETs-sHEE I, La 1 fill-{1* mmllmi ///6 f7 TTORNE Y6 w; J. BLAiR. MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY RECORDING CALLS IN TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION HLED APR. 28 I917.

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MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY RECORDING CALLS m TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

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.WIEANS FUR AUTOMAHCALLY RECORDiNG CALLS IN TELEPHONE SYSTEMSx 0 L38h81 J w. 1'. mm. MEANS FOR AUTOMAUCMLY RECORDWG CALLS IN TELEPHONE SYSTEMS. APHJCATION FILED APP..28,1917.

1,382,817. Patented June 28, 1921,

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

W. I. BLAIR.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY RECORDING CALLS IN TELEPHONE SYSTEMS. APPLICATION FILED APR- 28, I917.

1,382,817. Pmmamezs, 1921.

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PATENT OFFICE. 4

WILLIAM: JOHN BLAIR, DE MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR TO AL EX- ANDER EATON WOODS, OF MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

MEANS FOR' AUTOMATICALLY REGBRDING CALLS IN TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM JoI-IN BLAIR, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 376. lVilliam street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Improved Means for Automatically Recording Calls in Telephone Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to telephone systems and consists of additional devices and slight variations in the circuits at the control exchange for the purpose of enabling effectual or both eifectual and ineii'ectual calls to be automatically recorded.

Briefly stated one, or a set of relays, inserted in the circuit of the answering and calling plugs at the exchange, controls contacts in the circuits of the efiectual and inefl'ec-tual call meters and operate by deenergization to momentarily complete one.

The invention is applicable to systems.

provided with a common battery and to sys tems in which an exchange having a com mon battery is connected to a sub-exchange having a magneto system.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings whereof Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan of the common battery. system showing the exchange circuits and the circuits of the calling subscribers telephone.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the meter relay control. contact. 7

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the circuits for antomatically recording both effectual and ineffectual calls; and

Fig. 4 is a detail of the relay control contact;

Fig. 5 is a diagram of the circuits between a common battery exchange and a magneto sub-exchange Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 28, 1921 Application filed Ap1'i128, 1917.

Serial No. 165,163.

Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 3 il1ustrating another arrangement of relays;

F 1g. 7 lllustrates a special relay for actuating both the effectual and inefiectual meters;

Fig. 8 is an underside plan of the armatures beneath the relay shown in Fig. 7 7

cuits of the calling subscribers telephone and containing the essential elements of these improvements;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged. diagrammatic View of the control relay and related parts show- 7 mg said relay set to register an. effectual call; while 7 Fig. 18 is a top view of said control relay. In the drawings itwill be noted that where a relay operates two armatures the latter are shown for convenience at the respective ends of therelays.

Furthermore the approximate relative resistances are expressed in figures on the drawings. 1

Referring to Fig. 1 itwill be seen that an additional relay X is provided which is connected by the line 4 with the battery 32 and the line 5 with a contact 6 made, by the armature 7 of the calling plugsupervisory relay 8. Line 4 is connectedby, line 9 making contact 10 with an armature 11 operated by therelay X and said armature is inthe circuit of the supervisory lamp 12.

A short circuit line 13 connects withline 5 and joins with armature 11 when relay X is energized. Relay X has another armature 14: connected by line 15 with the effective meter circuit, said. armature being adapted when relay X is deenergized to make the control contact 16 of the call recorder circuit of the exchange and subneath and insulated from an armature 19 of a low resistance relay 20 and rests against I breaks contact 6, but current still flows a stop 21 and when relay X is energized armature 14 moves from under armature 19 which drops on the stop 21 and the contact is thus set so that when relay X is deenergized armature 14 will fall against the end of armature 19 and make contact 16.

Relay 20 is connected by line 22 to an additional armature 23 of the answering plug supervisory relay 24 and said armature 23 .normally contacts at 25 with line 26 leading tothe sleeve of answering plug of calling subscriber A.

Assuming A to be calling B, when A takes his receiver off the hook 27 he closes a circuit through his telephone with battery 28 thus causing line lamp 29 to glow until the operator insertsanswering plug 30 into As local jack 31 when current will flow from battery 32 through supervisory lamp 33, sleeve of plug 30, ring 34 of jack to out out relay 35 thus cutting out the battery 28 and extinguishing the line lamp 29. Also relay 24 becomes energized and its right end armature 36 shunts the lamp on account of its resistance being much greater than that in line 37 leading to the armature 36 so that the lamp is extinguished and furthermore the armature 23 being attracted to relay 24 the call recording circuit 2225 is broken.

Bs number being given the operator then inserts calling plug 38 into Bs multiple jack 39 and rings. In the meantime current from battery 32 is flowing through lamp 12 to sleeve 40 and ring of jack 39 to the cut out relay (as above described but not repeated in the drawings) causing lamp glow. I 1

When B takes off his receiver he closes the circuit with battery32 thus energizing relay 8 whose armature 7 makes contact 6 closing the circuit through line 4, relay X and line 5. Relay X attracts both armatures 11, and 14'the former shunting the lamp 12, which becomes extinguished, and the latter setting the control contact of the circuit of the meter (Fig. 2).

It is to be noted that armature 63 is not, under the system being described, attracted-the operation or" such armature being described hereinafter.

'When conversation is finished A and B hang up their receivers, whereupon relay 8 is deenergized and armature 7 falls and through relay X by way of line 13, armature 11, lamp 12 to sleeve 40 thus causing said lamp 12 to glow indicating that B has hung up his receiver.

Similarly relay 24 is deenergized and lamp 33 glows and contact 25 is made so that the meter circuit isonly broken by control armature 14 at relay X.

The operator now extracts calling plug 38 change meter 17 and current also flows through line 22 armature 23, line 26, sleeve of answering plug 30, line jack 31, line 45 and also operates subscribers meter 18.

The energization of relay 20 immediately attracts and lifts armature 19 thus breaking contact 16 whereupon armature 14 of relay X falls against stop 21 and the recording circuit being then broken armature 19 falls on the insulated end of armature 14.

Should subscriber A be unable to raise subscriber B relay X is not operated as supervisory relay 8 is not energized and in consequence armature 14'is not set for the meter control circuit, but upon the operator removing the calling plug 38 she may register an inefiectual call on the ineffectual meter 46 by operating key 47 in the usual manner.

In the case where the operator calls an incorrect number and the called subscriber answers then the control contact is set to register a call, but when'the calling subscriber A ascertains the mistake the operators attention is called to the fact. Upon calling plug being extracted to be correctly placed, no call is registered on the meters, because the meter circuit is broken at contact 25 for the reason that relay 24 is energized and is attracting armature 23 while As receiver is off the hook.

By a slight modification of the arrangement described and the circuits as illustrated in Fig. 1 the ineffectual calls may also be automatically registered. I

In this case the exchange effectual call meter is connected with armature 23 by line 22 (see Fig. 3)"without interruptionand the armature 14 of relay X becomes a tw0-way switch, of the gravity type for instance, and is adapted to make one or the other of two contacts 48, 49, the former 48 in the circuit or" a low resistance relay 50 and of the effective call meter 17 which, line has a branch 71 leading, to a high resistance 72. The other contact 49 is in the circuit of the ineffectual call meter 46, and the armature 14 normally rests against such contact.

The line from battery 32 is connected with another extra relay 51 connected with relay X and operating a relay contact 52 (Fig. 4) similar to that shown in Fig. 2.

According to this arrangementwhen an ineflectual call has been made the'with drawal of the calling plug makes control contact 52 and current from battery 44 passes along through armature 14 and contact 49 and operates the magnet of ineffectual call meter 46.

If the correct subscriber is raised relay 8 is and makesvconta'ct 48 ready until the sub-- scribers receivers are hung up and the calling'plug extracted when control'contact 52 is made and currentmomentarily flows from battery 44 throughcontacts 52, 48 line 70 passing through low resistance relay -ex.

change efi'ectualmeter relay 17, line- 22,

sleeveof answering plug, line jack 31 line 45 to the 'magnet of subscribers meter 18 thus recording an effectual call against the subscriber andadding a call to the exchange operators record. This current inpassing through the low resistance relay 50 momen the control contact 52 set, but when the operi ator discovers-the mistake and extracts the calling plug, control contact 52 is made and current from battery 44 passes along through contacts 52, 48 line 7 0 relay-. 50'through resistance '72 to earth as the contact 23 is broken by reason of subscriber As-receiver being still off the hook. No call is therefore recorded, but relay 50 being energized again attracts armature 14 which again rests against contact 49. Y

It will be noted'that in each case above described after contact 52 has been made the relay 53 controlling same is instantly denergized andthe register circuits broken.

Referring to Fig. -5 diagrammatically illustrating the arrangement and circuits between a common battery exchange and a connected magneto sub exchange it will be seen that a resistance 54, as, for instance, 40 ohms, is inserted in the signaling circuit of the magneto jack 55 which resistance in conjunction Withthat in the cord circuit is sufficient scriber not answer an ineffectualcall would.

be recorded. Reverting to Figs. 5 and 6, should the called subscriber answer supervisory lamp glowsand a circuit is closed through relay 61 thus making contact at armature 62 with armature 66 of relay 67 sending a strong current from battery 68' over'common battery talking wires 175, 17 6 and putting extra energy into relay 8 thus operating armature 63 (used only inconnection with a magnetoexchange) and cuttingout resistance 64 when relay X will operate'toset relay control contact 16 before :lescribed, readyv torecord the call when subscribers have finished. p

Fig- 6 illustratesfthe system shown inFig. 3- with variations in the relaysto accomplish the same result.

It will be seenithat there are four relaysadded to the :relay 8. on the calling plug side 27 1. and .27 2 being: in oneset and 73 and 74 in :another, the' former-being for recording ineffectual calls and the latter 7 3 and 74 for recording eiiectual calls. Relays 272 and 74 are of ohms resistance and are in the circuit of the supervisory lamp 12 while relays 271 and 7 3 are employed for re-setting control contacts. in the respective registering circuits. I

The'methodof operating is asfollows 1 lVhen the calling plug 38 is inserted, current flowsthrough relay 272, top spring 75 of relay 74 to center spring -76 to lamp 12 and sleeve 40 thus attracting armature 77 pulling spring 78 over clear of armature and lever 79 when the latter drops into the position shown. The first pair of relays 271 and 272 are now set ready to register an ineffectual call. If the subscriber does not answer and the operator extracts the calling plug, relay 27 2 is de'e'nergized. When armature 7 7 a-nd spring 78 fall back said spring comes in contact wit-h'lever 79 so that current flows from battery 44 to lever7 9, spring 78 thence by the spring contact 87 of set Z below relay 7 4 to inefi'ectual meter 46. In the event of the subscriber answering, in which case his lamp is shunted, current then flows from battery 32 through the line 81, relay 74 thence through resistance 40 ohms and thence through the solenoid "8, completing the circuit through the plug 88. This operates armature 82 and spring 83 and lets lever 84 drop ready to register on effectual meter 17. At the same time armature 85 is operated and cuts out thci connections between top 7 5 and center spring 7 6 by forcing down said center spring and making contact with the bottom one 86 thus allowing relay 74 to remain energized after the shunt has been cut out when lamp 12 glowsshowin clean ance, At the same time the bottomspring 87 is pressed down thereby breaking the register line to ineffectual meter 46. Thus when relay272 becomes deenergized by relay 74 breaking circuit of battery 82 at springs 75 and 76,-'armature 77 and spring 78 fall away but cannot register on account of the broken'line at set of springs at relay 74 so that when armature 77 follows spring ,7 8 and, makes contact current flows through lever79, armature 77 to relay 271 on to earth, energizing relay 271 causing armature of relay 271 to raise'lever 79 allowing armature 77 and spring 78 to fall under insulation at end of lever 79 without registering,

thus re-setting set Z leaving set Z set to register on effectual meter 17 which is done by extracting calling plug 38 thus. deenergizing relay 74 when armature 82 and spring 83 fall away said spring making contact with lever 84 when current flows from battery 44 over line 89 to 84 thence to 83 on to effectual meter 17 on to "relay 24 to subscribers meter 18 as described with reference to Fig. 3. When armature 82 makes contact with 84 current flows "through relay 7 3 and ferentiating set.

The armatures 92 and 94 are so arranged that'it requires greater strength of current in the relay to lift armature 94 than is necessary to lift armature 92. This might be accomplished by the arrangement, angular set or weight of the armatures or by the use of springs. According to the means illustrated the armature lies normally farther from the influence of the relay than the armature 92.

In connection with armature .94 there is a contact 95 bearing against its lower surface which is connected with the ineffectual meter 46 while armature 93 is connectedwith the efiectual meter 17. The operation withthis relay isas follows Upon calling plug. being inserted the nearer armature 92 is attracted and, supervisory lamp 12 glows but armature 94 is not attracted as it is set a littletoo far away for the magnet to operate it with so much resistance as the lamp adds in circuit. Now upon 92 being attracted 91 is also 'attracted'and falls in behind 92, but does not contact, but

if subscriber does not answer and calling plug 38 is extracted relay 100 is deenergized 92 falls against hook of 91 making contact when current flows through from 30 volt battery 44 to contact 95 to 'inefiectual meter 46. The current passing through first wind+ ing of relay 100 sets up an adverse influence and repels armature 91 allowing armature 92 to re-set itself. I

Now should the subscriber answer, he operates the shunt thus causing 80 ohms differencein the circuit passing through relay 7 100 whichwill be more thanenough to operate armature 94 which is attracted when armature 93 falls in behind, also contact 95 91 and 92 form one set and armatures 93-and 94 form-the second or dif is disconnected. Upon extraction of the plug the same operation as described takes place, but current flows from 91 to 92 through bridging spring 96 to 94 on to 93 to effectual meter 17 the reverse influence again re-setting the different parts of the combination.

It will be understood that the current from the 24 volt battery 32 sets up, say, apositive pole and by reverse winding the current from the 30 volt battery 44-sets up a negative pole andthe 80 ohms difference between an in-.

effectual call and an eifectual call and the different adjustment of the two armatures 92 and 94 will readily lend itself to either leave the connection on the contact 95 of ineffectual meter 46 or shift, it to catch of armature 93 of effectual meter.

The control relay just described may be.

further simplified and provided with a simple windin and such construction is illustrated in Figs. 10, 11' and 12 of the drawings.

In this control relay the inner winding shown in Fig. 7 is dispensed with and the armature 91 is connected by line 201 direct to battery 244. The armature 292 is not used to make contact with armature 91 but instead a spring103 supported by a strap 105 from said armature 292 is used said spring being connected by bridge piece 96 with armature 294. Instead. of spring 95 as in Fig. 7 an arm,106. provided with an adjustable screw contact 106 is employed said contact being broken when relay' isset to register an efiectual call.

. In order to break contact 103 with thehookendof armature 291 immediately after being made, armature 291- is inclined at-thelowe'r end as at 104 and when armature 292, follow ing the spring 103contactswith the inclined part 104-it moves armature 291 frombeneath' the end of said spring 103 which latter can then. only contact with the insulated end of armature 291. '1 j I j As an alternative the members 291 and 293 need not be armatures butmechanically op erating pendulum or spring contact armshaving means such asa guide stud 109 to limit'the swing ofsaid members. I -The1memher 291 carries an insulated arm 108which extending behind member 293 frees the latter when said member 291 is repelled.

. In Figs. 13-15 is shown a somewhat similar construction of relay used according to this invention.- In this form the pivoted hooked contact arms 120, 121 are arranged at the top of the relay andthe armatures 122, 123 at the front, all being of the gravity type. The armatures are electrically connected at their lower or pivotal seatings 124- and are guided in their movements by guide studs 125, 126 the latter limiting their outward movement As previously described one armature 123 is arranged so that it requires a greater current to lift it than. the

other armature 122. The upper pivoted contact arms have hooks 127, 128 and the former has a bevel 129 and an inclined insulated projection 130 terminating at its inner or hook end with a metal contact 131, said projection being lifted by the spring 132 supported by the strap 133 from armature 122.

The contact arm 121 hasa finger 134 which projects over the contact arm 120 which is insulated as at 135 beneath said finger. Contact 136 in the ineffectual meter circuit is normally made with armature 123 but is broken when relay is set to register an effectual call. When one subscriber calls another, and the exchange operator inserts the plug, armature 122 is attracted, spring 132 engaging projection 130 lifts contact arm 120 and falls into hook opening asshown in dotted lines Fig. 13 and if the called subscriber does not answer, the plug is removed and armature 122 falls causing spring 132 to contact with contact 131 and so operates the magnet of ineffectual call meter 46 which latter registers. Armature 122 following, engages bevel 129 and lifts contact arm 120 freeing the spring 132 and breaking contact of this registering circuit; 7

Should the subscriber answer, the relay is set-as just described but in addition armature 123 is attracted, as the resistance is reduced, thus breaking contact 136 and engaginghook 128 of contact arm 121 as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 13. Subsequently upon removal of the plug, armature 122 falls and in so doing engages bevel 129 and lifts contact arm 120 which through finger 134 also lifts contact arm 121 thus breaking contact at 127 and 128 and all parts of relay resume normal positions as in Fig. 13.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 16-18 of the "drawings is the simplest and most effective construction of this inventionand therein it will be seen that the relay X has two armatures 171, 172 and two springs 173- 174 all being mounted on an insulation block 175 andthereby electrically disassociated. Said armatures have rigid straps 181 which embrace the respective springs, and they are so arranged that it requires greater energy in the relay to lift armature 172 than is necessary to lift armature 171. This may be accomplished by the arrangement, angular set or weight of the armatures or by the use of springs. It is, however, found to work satisfactorily by setting armature 172 somewhat farther back than armature 171 or farther from the magnetic influence of the relay.

At the top of the relay there are two hooks 177, 178 pivoted at their inner ends on an insulation block 176, the shanks of the hooks being inclined downwardly as at 179 and formed with insulated extremities 180. Suitable means are provided for lifting hook 177 when armature 172 is attracted. One convenient means consists of a lifting .arm 184 attached to the shank of hook 177 and bent so that its outer end overlies armature 172, the end of said arm being formed with a bevel 183. This arm insures the circuit of the ineffectual call meter being broken when the contact controlling the effectual call meter circuit is set to be subsequently made.

The hook 177 is connected by line 185 with the relay of the ineffectual call meter 46 while the corresponding spring 173 leads to earth.

The hook 178 is connected by line 186 with the relay of the effectual call meter 17 while the corresponding spring 174 is in line 187 leading to additional contact 25 of the answering plug supervisory relay 24 whence a line leads to sleeve 30 of said plug, thence by jack to relay 18 of subscribers effectual call meter. The relay X is connected as before described with battery 32 and calling plug supervisory lamp 12 and shunt 6.

According to the foregoing construction when a subscriber calls another, the exchange operator inserts the calling plug, armature 171 is attracted and holds spring 17 3 clear in front of hook 177, which latter drops slightly. Should the called subscriber not answer, the plug is removed and relay X is deenergized and armature 171 drops making spring 173 contact with hook 177 so that current from battery 44 flows through the magnet of ineffectual call meter 46, line 185, hook 177, spring 17 3 to earth, thus regs istering an ineffectual call.

Should the subscriber answer and the supervisory lamp 12 be shunted and thereby effect reduction of resistance in relay X the stronger current now passing through said relay attracts armature 172 as well as 171 and in rising armature'172 engages bevel 183 of lifting arm 184 causing the latter to lift hook 177 as in Fig.- 17 At the end of conversation the exchange calligig plug is removed thus deenergizing relay 1 which causes both armatures to drop whereby only spring 174 makes contact with hook 17 8 as by reason of hook 177 being raised spring 173 escapes contact therewith.

Current now flows from battery 44, the magnet of'effectual call meter 17, line 186, hook 17 8, spring 174, line 187, contact 25 to control relay 18 of calling subscribers call meter.

It will be seen that when armature 172 is released it permits bar 184 to descend and likewise hook 177 when both armatures engage the inclined portions 179 of the hooks raising same sufliciently to free the springs therefrom.

In the event of a wrong subscriber being called the relay X is set as described to register an effectual call, but when A ascertains the mistake, the operators attention is called to the fact, when upon the calling plug being extracted to be correctly inserted in the required jack no call is registered on the meters because the registering circuit is broken at contact 25 for the reason that relay 24 while As receiver is off the hook is energized and is attracting its armature.

I claim 1. In telephone systems, an effectual call meter, an ineffectual call meter, a circuit for each meter, a relay in each circuit, a control relay having two armatures respectively controlling the circuits of the said two relays, said armatures being so arranged that one requires a greater strength of current to operate it than the other, and means on the control relay controlled by the armatures for completing one or the other of said relay circuits according as to whether the call is effectual or ineffectual.

'2. A telephone system in accordance with claim 1 characterized by an answering plug supervisory relay, an armature in the circuit of the effectual call meter operated by the answering plug supervisory relay to break the circuit of the effectual call meter when the telephone circuit has been opened, subsequent to the connection of the telephone circuit with a wrong answering station. 7

3. In telephone systems, a calling plug, an answering plug, an effectual call meter, an ineffectual call meter, an operative relay for each meter, a circuit for each relay and a control relay in the circuit ofsaid plugs, said control relay being provided with two armatures adapted to close one or the other of said relay circuits.

f. A telephone system in accordance with claim 3, comprising an answering plug supervisory relay and an armature in the circuit of the efiectual call meter operated by the answering plug supervisory relay to I open the circuit of the relay of the effectual ative by the breaking of the line connection after an effectual call and after the calling subscriber has placed the receiver on the hook, for operating the effectual call meter, and means for operating the ineffectual call meter.

7. In telephone systems, an effectual call meter, an ineffectual call meter, means oper-' ative by making of the outgoing connection for setting the effectual call meter operating mechanism means operative by the breaking the line after the calling subscriber has placed the receiver on the hook, for operating the effectual call meter operating mechanism, and means operative on the breaking of the circuit when the call subscriber has not answered for operating the ineffectual call meter.

8. In telephone systems, a calling subscriber station, a central station, a called subscriber station, means at the calling subscriber station for recording an effectual call on the called subscriber station, means at the central station for recording said effectual call, and means at the central station for recording an ineffectual call on the called subscriber station.

9. In telephone systems,'thecombination with entering subscribers lines, of an effectual call meter and an ineffectual call meter,

and means operative by the breaking of the a WILLIAM JOHN BLAiR. 

